Tech, entrepreneurship and other fun stuff.

How Do You Predict Startup Success?

There has been much discussion recently in the blogosphere and Twittersphere about startups. Are there too many tech startups? Are seed-stage valuations too high? Is this another tech bubble? What is the secret to startup success?

A lot of very early-stage startups are finding initial funding from angels and super angels who have filled a niche previously filled by VCs. Most of these angels have similar approaches and investment theses. The standard flavors typically involve: visionary founders/previously successful serial entrepreneurs; lean capital requirements; a technology, idea or product advantage; demo or commercially launched product (revenue a plus); and huge market potential.

From my perspective, all of these criteria are important, but there are two elements that are the most important when it comes to likelihood of success. Both are equally important and they must be connected. In my opinion, a fresh, superior technology plus the ability to connect that technology/product into a large untapped market are the most important factors in predicting startup success. If you have nailed these key elements, success is predictable regardless of initial valuations, founder pedigrees, etc.

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Facebook ignited a firestorm over how it manages third-party access to its users’ information, after it said a firm with ties to the 2016 Trump campaign improperly kept data for years despite saying it had destroyed those records.

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Despite being smack in the middle of its demographic, I have never been a Pinterest user. I actually just signed up again to try to see if the service was more compelling now. I make Halloween costumes for my kids. I am redesigning part of my house right now. I am an avid art lover, can’t decide what to do with my hair, and am trying to decide on a new tatto […]

A few weeks ago, Pando wrote about the latest comeback attempt of disgraced venture capitalist and admitted sexual harasser Justin Caldbeck. Caldbeck was scheduled to speak at a Women in STEM “Gender Summit,” at least until several prominent industry women -- including one of his victims -- emailed participants and sponsors to alert them to what was going on […]

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Ever seen your dream job posted on LinkedIn, but been too lazy to ask for a referral? You're in luck: LinkedIn now does that for you. LinkedIn has rolled out "Ask for a Referral," a feature that will allow you to ask LinkedIn connections for a referral with a single click. The online employment service has been testing the feature over the pa […]

Remember the Marlboro Man? He was a sexy vision of the American west, created by a cigarette corporation to sell a fatal product. People knew this and used that product anyway, at great detriment to themselves and those around them who quietly inhaled toxic secondhand smoke, day into long night. An agreement between states and tobacco companies banished the […]

Ofgem, the U.K. government’s regulator for gas and electricity, has revealed that projects trialled under the Low Carbon Networks Fund (LCNF) could save 215 tonnes of CO2. The program ran for six years, ending in 2015, with the aim of helping Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) develop cost effective and energy efficient solutions for the smart... Read mor […]

The Internet of Things is sweeping across the globe at breakneck speeds, and before we know it, our entire lives will be facilitated by connected technology. We’re already seeing the IoT make an incredible impact on how the industrial world operates, and we’re seeing it seep into household goods to bring convenience and efficiency to... Read more » The post […]

PARC, the research and development arm of Xerox, announced on Tuesday that it has secured part of $19 million in federal funding from the Energy Department to develop peel-and-stick sensors for homes, businesses, and other buildings. The peel-and-stick sensors will be able to detect air quality, temperature, humidity, occupancy, and more, according to PARC. […]

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Japan has unveiled a ‘Supreme’ prototype version of its 186 mph Shinkansen bullet train which features a sharper nose profile, power sockets for every seat, and light-up luggage racks. According to Japanese publication Asahi, Central Japan Railway’s N700S series trains are due to debut in 2020, on the Tokaido Shinkansen line, which runs between Tokyo and Shi […]

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Much as it has with every other retail sector, Amazon has steadily expanded its gaming presence, especially since it purchased Twitch in 2014. Now, it's unveiled a service that will allow it to break into another gaming arena. Built on Amazon's massi...

WebOS used to power HP's long-dead Palm devices and early tablets, but since LG got a hold of it in 2013, it's mostly been associated with smart TVs and refrigerators. LG is hoping to push the the platform beyond that, however, with a new release cal...

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After crafting its own processors over the past couple of years, Apple is now getting into the display business, reports Bloomberg. The company is said to have some 300 engineers working on an upcoming screen tech called MicroLED at its Santa Clara facility. The idea is to create a better display, first for its smartwatches and later for its phones, and perh […]